Relocation and Decision Making Processes of Natural Disaster Victims

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The purpose of the proposed study is to test two theoretical perspectives on decision-making - rational choice theory and symbolic interactionism - by examining the decision-making of flood victims to either remain in or relocate outside of the floodplain. Federal agencies have shifted their approach to managing floodplain property from focusing on recovery efforts solely to developing proactive programs to protect people and property from being damaged. One way that these agencies have attempted to break the cycle of development-destruction-redevelopment is through public acquisition of floodplain property (FEMA 2000, 1997). While many of these buyout programs have been moderately successful, these programs hinge on individual homeowners deciding to participate. Yet, a study of the decision-making considerations of this population has not been conducted. This project seeks to fill that gap while advancing our understanding of the relative merits of rational choice theory and symbolic interactionism.